Some movie-goers are concerned that Dolby’s new technology will hack into their minds using sinister means. They are especially concerned as Dolby is selling the results of this technology to filmmakers. Indeed, Hollywood has long been utilizing Dolby technology to enhance the movie-going experience.

Lauren Goode from The Verge visited Dolby headquarters to get the low down on their technology. Dolby is using state of the art techniques to read movie-going test subject’s minds, emotions and body responses. Goode permitted Dolby to use her also as a guinea pig.

Artists have always used color and sound in carefully crafted ways to evoke a planned response from their audience. On the surface, it appears that Dolby is doing nothing different to this. However, the technology they are using on test subjects is more intimate and invasive than ever before.

Dolby is utilizing technology such as EEG caps, heart rate monitors, skin response sensors and thermal imaging cameras to analyze test-subject’s responses to video and audio input. Additionally, they are using lie detector equipment to work out these test subject’s authentic experiences.

In other words, Dolby seeks to hack into the minds, bodies, and emotions of human beings to learn how best to manipulate them

Hollywood has been suffering from a reduction in ticket sales. Movie-goers are turning to alternative types of media to get their entertainment kicks. Dolby seeks to improve Hollywood’s profit margins, and in turn their own, by offering film studios the most accurate means of manipulating a potential audience.

Dolby seeks to provide an all-immersive experience for movie-goers. The most advanced Dolby cinemas use the latest cinema technology available. Indeed, Dolby has been offering their audio technologies to Hollywood for around 40 years now. Their logo is familiar to everyone.

However, with Dolby Atmos, the company has branched out to provide enhancements to the entire cinema experience

Therefore, Dolby has branched out from merely providing enhanced audio technology, and are employing neurophysiologists to measure the emotional, physical and mental responses of audience members also to color and imagery.

Dolby hopes to take their accumulated data to Hollywood executives so to encourage them to purchase this manipulative information. And while it seems innocent enough, that filmmakers can better illicit emotions such as anger, or sadness, or fear from various scenes, is there a more sinister aspect?

Already, advertisers are using these technologies

Goode provided an example in her video of a Lexus ad that uses only the sound of the engine revving to elicit an emotional response from consumers. Dolby used their data to create an algorithm for Lexus, enabling them to evoke emotions most likely to encourage a consumer to purchase the car.

But what if rogue organizations or governments use these technologies for even more sinister means? Dolby is collecting highly sensitive evidence that shows how the human neuroendocrine system can be manipulated. With most people holding smartphones in their hands these days, such manipulation is only a tap or swipe away.

Nevertheless, some scientists are trying to utilize these technologies and the consequential data for good

Dr. Dave Siever claims that his patients with PTSD, for example, have experienced significant relief from their symptoms. Symptoms that conventional treatments such as SSRIs and electroshock treatment had only previously exacerbated.

Like most things, the technology that Dolby is developing is in and of itself neutral. But we live in a world of corruption, and inevitably such things can end up in dangerous hands. Still, the potential for good with this technology also remains.

So what do you think? Is this kind of biometric technology sinister? Or do you think it will improve our overall human experience? Let us know in the comments below.